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Broadway Meets Country Concert Set for NYC *ON SITE REPORT*

Trace Adkins, Raul Malo, Lee Ann Womack and Trisha Yearwood will join Broadway legend Bernadette Peters and others at New York's Lincoln Center for Broadway Meets Country, one of the events leading up to the 39th annual CMA Awards show. Broadway performers Idina Menzel, Brian Stokes Mitchell and Patrick Wilson will also perform during the Nov. 12 event that raises money for the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund and the Actors' Fund of America. The singers will perform in what's described as a "cabaret-like setting" at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall. Jed Bernstein, president of the League of American Theatres and Producers Inc., noted, "It is truly history in the making that the country music world is coming to New York and joining with Broadway for such a wonderful, unusual and entertaining event." This year's CMA Awards show is set for Nov. 15 at Madison Square Garden in New York.

This would be an awesome show to attend! There are a few big names that seem to be missing, but I wouldnt' be surprised to see more added, they always do! Sandi, if Trisha ever does do Broadway, I'm with you-I'm Sooo there!! Somehow, someway!

Frederick P. Rose Hall is located in the Home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at West 60th Street. Tickets, priced $350 (show only) and $1,000 (concert plus pre-show cocktail reception with the performers), are available by calling (212) 212-869-4535. Visit http://www.livebroadway.com/Broadway...try/Index.html for more information.

That's odd...when I called a few weeks ago to find out about tickets, they didn't offer me the $350/show only tickets. In fact, they didn't even mention that the $1,000 tickets included anything more than the show. I also didn't realize that this show didn't start until 11pm. I wonder why so late...are some of the Broadway performers currently in a Broadway show and going from the theater to this show?

Paula

Listen not to the critics
Who put their own dreams on the shelf
~ How You Ever Gonna Know ~
Kent Blazy/Garth Brooks

NEW YORK (Billboard) - Leading names from Broadway and country music have signed on for the aptly named benefit concert Broadway Meets Country, which will take place November 12 as part of a series of events leading up to the Country Music Assn. Awards three days later at Madison Square Garden.

The concert, which will couple country artists with Broadway performers at Frederick P. Rose Hall, will be hosted by Brian Stokes Mitchell and Lee Ann Womack, with musical direction by Stephen Oremus ("Wicked," "Avenue Q").

Among the pairings already confirmed for the show are country legend Glen Campbell performing "You'll Never Walk Alone" from "Carousel," Carrie Underwood and Patrick Wilson dueting on "Suddenly Seymour" from "Little Shop of Horrors," Trisha Yearwood and Idina Menzel teaming for "For Good" from "Wicked" and Ben Vereen performing "King of the Road."

from the NYTimes:

Country in the City

With Brian Stokes Mitchell and Lee Ann Womack as hosts, Broadway stars including Idina Menzel, Marin Mazzie, Andrea McArdle and James Naughton will be joined by top county recording artists like Trisha Yearwood, Carrie Underwood and Glen Campbell in "Broadway Meets Country." This concert event, at Frederick P. Rose Hall (Broadway at 60th Street) on Nov. 12 at 11 p.m., is a presentation of the League of American Theaters and Producers, and the Country Music Association to benefit the Actors' Fund of America and the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. Tickets are priced at $350 for the concert only and $1,000 for the concert and a preperformance reception with the stars, beginning at 9:45 p.m. Information: (212) 869-4535.

OMG! What an amazing night this is going to be. Just watching some of these performances gave me goosebumps. My favorites, however, have surprised me - it's the Broadway performers doing country songs. These guys (no surprise) can REALLY sing. We interviewed most of the stars at rehearsal, and it's surprising how many of them like country music.

Trisha did NOT rehearse today, FYI, so I haven't seen her yet. But there's ALWAYS a Garth connection... Stokes (who admitted in our interview to owning 4 Garth CD's) is doing "Standing Outside the Fire."

The lady doing "You Ain't Woman Enough To Take My Man" is going to completely bring the house down. It's a beautiful room... going to be an amazing night. Red carpet at 9, reception at 9:45, show at 11.

First airing of this is going to be Thanksgiving Day at noon, with encores throughout that weekend on XM 28 - On Broadway.

OMG! What an amazing night this is going to be. Just watching some of these performances gave me goosebumps. My favorites, however, have surprised me - it's the Broadway performers doing country songs. These guys (no surprise) can REALLY sing. We interviewed most of the stars at rehearsal, and it's surprising how many of them like country music.

Trisha did NOT rehearse today, FYI, so I haven't seen her yet. But there's ALWAYS a Garth connection... Stokes (who admitted in our interview to owning 4 Garth CD's) is doing "Standing Outside the Fire."

The lady doing "You Ain't Woman Enough To Take My Man" is going to completely bring the house down. It's a beautiful room... going to be an amazing night. Red carpet at 9, reception at 9:45, show at 11.

First airing of this is going to be Thanksgiving Day at noon, with encores throughout that weekend on XM 28 - On Broadway.

I can't wait!!! This means that I'm taking my XM to FL with me...woohoo!

eyewitness account

So we (Jo, Wendy and I) thought we were going to see Craig Morgan/Neal McCoy on Sat. night.. that is, until we were asked if we wanted to go to this instead! OMG!! What a magical night! We were up in the red carpet area watching Trace, Billy, Carrie, Lee Ann, Raul, Ritchie McDonald, Julie Roberts, Jamie O'Neal walk right by us.. and Spike Lee too! Then we headed down to the reception and sat at the XM table overlooking gorgeous Columbus Circle.. a breathtaking view indeed! We were introduced to Billy Currington and Trace... we saw Lorrie Morgan and Glen Campbell and Ed Benson from the CMA... they even gave us a goodie bag when it was time to go into the Allen Room for the show!..
the room was amazing... and the acoustics were perfect... we were in the fourth row, dead center, right behind Joyce...
we are a few jaded NYer's but I tell you, we were awestruck to be there...
The entire show was just unbelievable, but there were a few standout performances in my opinion...
first of all, for the whole show to open with SOTF was just SO overwhelming..
Mr. Mitchell did a great job of it... and of course we were smiling and crying at the same time...
Lee Ann Womak was awesome... Adriane Lenox rocked the house with You Say You Will and Jason Danieley nailed Sold (The Grundy County Auction)...
Glen Campbell got a standing O for You'll Never Walk Alone and Ben Vereen did too for King of the Road... we were rolling on the floor at the recitation of You Ain't Woman Enough to Take My Man.. Marian Seldes kicked it up a few notches on that one! James McNaughton brought down the house with his rendition of Johnny Cash's I've Been Everywhere.. with every verse they kept upping the tempo and he matched it all word for word with every beat... it was amazing!
Trisha sang like an angel and looked great, although that dress looked cumbersome to wear.. she was stepping very carefully! of course we wished she would have sang more than one number (a duet from Wicked called For Good).. Idina Menzel was not her partner after all... and I'm sorry I can't recall who was, but she was very good! Trisha was not at the red carpet or the reception...
When the show was over we got a little tour of the XM studio which was very interesting to see.. and we headed home in the wee small hours of the morning...
It was an incredible experience and one we won't soon forget...
Thanks, Joyce for making it all possible!! We are so grateful for the VIP treatment... and you looked drop dead gorgeous!
hugs..
Harriet

There were no TV cameras, which was a shame. They didn't even allow news crews in to film. I presume that had to do with the actors union regulations, we literally didn't get it all cleared for us to broadcast the show until 3 days before.

The venue itself was beautiful, and very intimate. 467 seats, I was told. About 200 of those were the $1,000 tickets that included the reception with the artists and the goody bags.

For those of you with XM, my interview with Carrie Underwood from the red carpet should air tomorrow afternoon if things don't get too crazy.

J. <--- who somehow managed to miss the fact that Spike Lee was there!

All I can say is WOW! Thanks so much Joyce and Harriet for recapping this event for us. Sounds like it was a fabulous night. I will be listening to XM for the interview Joyce...oh and did you all (Harriet, Joyce and everyone) get anyone to take pics of you all? I'd love to see everyone all dolled up.